Twig Whistle

[Pignut]

I can remember my Grandad showing me how to make a whistle out of twigs years ago (Sadly can't remember how he did it), so I Googled it and Found an interesting link, and thought I would have a go and share my results with you!

As always ensure your knife is sharp and you have a first aid kit handy (As it turns out making this whistle it is a good job I did)

No matter how experienced you are you will get bitten by your knife at some stage

Any way on with it!!

Firstly pick a twig (I think this one is willow)

Find a section with no blemishes on the bark and preferably no small buds or branches. Cut this section free (Size is not crutial)

Next chamfer one end so it is fits your lip, only go about half way up the end of the twig

Take care not to tare the bark (A sharp knife is crutial) you should end up with this

Next take a small notch out of the top of the Twig, the flat side of the notch should be facing your lip, with the sloped edge to the rear.

Now about 10mm in from the back of the twig score a line around the circumference (Ensure you cut all the way through the bark) it is difficult to see on the picture but the line is about level with the tip of the blade

Now we need to loosen the bark without damaging it!

Roll the twig between a blunt object (The scale of my SAK) and a table, be firm but do not damage the bark!!!

once this is done if you sqeeze the bark at one end of the twig you should see the bark lift free, gently pull and twist the bark with your fingers and it should start to come free.

Try to only move the large section of bark, leaving the 10mm ring in place.

You will be left with a large section of hollow bark

(Go careful with those SAK saws, they are sharp, hence the plaster)

put this in a cup of water to prevent is drying and splitting

the notch cut into the wood needs to be made longer, and a little deeper, the size of the new notch will determain the pitch the whistle it should be something like this

now for the fine work, a sliver of wood now needs to be taken of the front setion of the whistle above the notch about 1mm of wood worked for this whistle

now retrieve the bark tube from the water and slide it back over the wood, dont rip the bark or the whistle will be no use!!!!

Make sure everything lines up, the end should look like this

and the whistle complete!

Whilst dispite its small size this whistle has a mellow tone not as high pitched as you would expect!

Here is the link I found

Have fun!!

(Edit: Sorry bout the rubbish photos))

 

[weekend_warrior]

I like that a lot - my kids will love it even more! :You_Rock_

 

[g4ghb]

Thats great pignut! - spookily i made my first whistle (while waiting for some epoxy'd scales to dry) in the workshop.... so cheated and used a drill etc


I'm camping with the Scouts next weekend....... guess what is now on the programme

never has the phrase 'perfect timeing' been so apt!

 

[Pignut]

Thats great pignut! - spookily i made my first whistle (while waiting for some epoxy'd scales to dry) in the workshop.... so cheated and used a drill etc


I'm camping with the Scouts next weekend....... guess what is now on the programme

never has the phrase 'perfect timeing' been so apt!

Let me know how it goes with the scouts, thinking of using it on a programme myself

 

[Salix]

NIce plaster Pignut

We used to make one as a giveaway for our shows, but we made them out of dried/seasoned twigs. If I can rememmber how il'e pass it on.

Mark

 

[Pignut]

Cheers Mark.

that would be good

 

[Longstrider]

I've made these whistles since I was a kid, and I've found that a nice green piece of willow is probably the easiest wood to use as the bark sloughs off it so readily.

I have made these from wood of up to about 2 1/2" diameter and about 10" long. The deep soft note from these big versions proved ideal for imitating the call of the collared dove and were very useful when out shooting them as pests with my old .22" Wiehrauch.

 

[Mooney]

looks great, cant wait to try
thanks

 

[Tor helge]

I make these whistles every spring. It`s like a ritual for me .
Sometimes I teach kids to do it. I usually make them a little bigger than Pignut do.
I also make them of willow, but I also use rowan (sorbus aucupària).
My father tought me this when I was a kid, and then almost every kid could make them. Now it seems like a dying "art".

I don`t roll the knife handle over the flute, but moisten the bark in my mouth and gently taps it with the knife handle until the bark loosen.
You are supposed to say a rhyme when you do this, but I usually skip that . I don`t remember the words either.

Tor

 

[led]

That's the way I remove the bark too, repeatedly tapping firmly all over the surface of the bark until it loosens. I'd be interested in the rhyme if anyone can remember it - I'd not heard of that.

 

[Pignut]

I make these whistles every spring. It`s like a ritual for me .
Sometimes I teach kids to do it. I usually make them a little bigger than Pignut do.
I also make them of willow, but I also use rowan (sorbus aucupària).
My father tought me this when I was a kid, and then almost every kid could make them. Now it seems like a dying "art".

I don`t roll the knife handle over the flute, but moisten the bark in my mouth and gently taps it with the knife handle until the bark loosen.
You are supposed to say a rhyme when you do this, but I usually skip that . I don`t remember the words either.

Tor

I would recomend larger then this!!!

My next one will be! in fact I am going to get the wood right now!

 

[bloodline]

another interesting post Pignut and there is nought wrong with your photos :You_Rock_

 

[pierre girard]

Unless the color on your photos is off, I believe your twig is what is known locally as dogwood, AKA red willow.

PG

 

[AJB]

Had my first go at this last night and failed miserably.

All I could get was an Oak twig and I simply couldn’t get the bark to lift. It eventually ripped. Whether it was me or it doesn’t work with Oak, I don’t know.

But comparing what I achieved with what you produced, that’s a lovely and neat little bit of work.

AJB

 

[Ralph]

geat tutorial. I've been experimenting with whistles for a while now and none worked unless I used a drill. The only one I've made is a tiny piece of bamboo which I cut a notch in. if you blow into it at the right and you get a very high-pitched squeak.

 

[led]

Had my first go at this last night and failed miserably.

All I could get was an Oak twig and I simply couldn’t get the bark to lift. It eventually ripped. Whether it was me or it doesn’t work with Oak, I don’t know.

AJB

I don't think there are many other trees that would allow the bark to separate so easily. It would need to be quite a 'wet' wood. Oak I would have thought would be pretty much impossible. Next time you're walking by a river or stream, look out for a nice bit of willow and you'll see how much easier it is.

Here are a couple of tutorials: whistle 1 and whistle 2.

 

[Pignut]

I have managed another with Sycamore from a sapling,

It shed its bark suprisingly easily!

 

[Rocket]

Where would I find a list of poisonous/non poisonous trees?
Sorry, but of a 'newbie' question, but I'd like to have a go at a whistle, but I'm unaware of the right twig to use.

 

[Gravo]

That's the way I remove the bark too, repeatedly tapping firmly all over the surface of the bark until it loosens. I'd be interested in the rhyme if anyone can remember it - I'd not heard of that.

Nice Pignut, gonna try that next time I'm out... No idea what the rhyme was but here's the Gravo version

Whistle whistle I made you
Now whistle whistle please ring true
Whistle whistle sing your song
And whistle whistle all day long...

p.s will I make the next Poet Laureate??

 

[Pignut]

Where would I find a list of poisonous/non poisonous trees?
Sorry, but of a 'newbie' question, but I'd like to have a go at a whistle, but I'm unaware of the right twig to use.

Try the link on here

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=7316&highlight=wood+toxicity